Falling Star
by Silvan Arown Elendal
Summary: Set 1 year before the beginning of Kingdom Hearts. A girl falls from the sky...
1. Don't go

Falling Star  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, I'd like to though. The only character in this story which is mine is Astar and the people/places she mentions. Please R&R.  
  
Chapter 1: "Don't go"  
  
(Destiny Islands, 1 year before the start of Kingdom Hearts)  
  
Riku sat on the paupau tree looking out at the horizon. It was late summer, but still warm enough for him to forego his shoes and over trousers. A breeze played with his hair, pulling pale blue strands across his bright blue eyes.  
  
The 14 year old looked down at his younger friends playing in the water. Sora, tidus and Wakka were 'fishing', a very lose term considering the amount of noise and splashing they were making. Kairi and Selphie were sitting on the end of the dock, watching the boys mess around. Riku didn't feel much like joining them and lay of the long trunk of the paupau watching the horizon. His stomach grumbled at him.  
  
-Maybe I should eat breakfast more often- Riku pulled a paupau fruit off the tree. Paupau grew all year round, and they could get rather boring. His stomach gave another grumble and he complied, devouring the yellow fruit.  
  
Sora swam up to the dock and rested his bare arms in between the girls, chatting idly with them as the late afternoon sun dried his hair. Kairi and Selphie laughed, pushing him back in by his shoulders. He resurfaced and grabbed their ankles and then everyone was in the water, laughing and splashing.  
  
That was why they didn't notice the thing that made Riku sit bolt upright, staring at the sky.  
  
"What's that?!" Riku saw something falling. From this distance it looked like a little blue star, but it was falling fast. Sora looked up too, distracted by Riku's yell.  
  
"What the-?"  
  
Riku swa the basic shape of the falling object, a person. In three seconds he had lept of the paupau tree and dived into the water, swimming as fast as he could to where he thought the falling body would land.  
  
The young girls body, falling head downwards, landed in the water just a few feet ahead of him, it's momentum carrying it deep. Riku dived, catching the girl 4 meters down, and hauled her to the suface. It took him a few seconds to realise she wasn't breathing, before he began to swim back, keeping the girls head above the water.  
  
Sora swam to meet him and together they pulled the unconscious girl onto the beach. "She's not breathing!" Riku was almost frantic, his calm lost in the face of such eminent danger.  
  
Sora was panting out of breath, while the others crowded round. Riku thought for a second before placing his hands flat against the girl's abdomen, pushing sharply down and forewards, causing the water to exit her lungs.  
  
The girl took a deep shuddering breath and Riku looked at her properly for the first time.  
  
She had the long straight lines of a girl which made Riku figure she was about the same age as Kairi, he also predicted her to be tall, almost as tall as him, woth long legs too. A blue cut deep purple dress with long sleeves clung to her wet figure. She had long, straight waist length blue hair, not the light blueish silver of his, but a deep bright electric blue. She had pale skin, and thin waist, high cheek bones and a pointed chin.  
  
After a couple more breaths she opened her eyes. Riku was shocked, her eyes were purple, a light mauve shade, without pupils.  
  
She seemed to focus on the face above her.  
  
"Don't go." the words were a barely audible whisper that escaped her lips before she fell back into unconsciousness.  
  
-I won't- Riku thought, before he could think to stop himself. 


	2. The visitor

Chapter 2: The visitor  
  
The girl opened her eyes. It was morning, judging by the low angle of the bright sunlight streaming through the open door beside her. She was lying on her back, and above her was a face. A different face. Not that other one.the one before.  
  
"Hi! It's good to see you awake at last." The speaker was the same age as the blue haired girl. She had short reddish brown hair and wide turquoise eyes. She was smiling.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
The girl was exhausted, so she signed that her head hurt. To her surprise the other girl didn't look at her hands or seemed to comprehend.  
  
"You must be tired. Here, "she helped the girl sit up and handed her a glass of water, "Drink this."  
  
"Thank you" said the blue haired girl, signing as she spoke. Again the other didn't notice.  
  
"I'm Kairi. What's your name?" The girl's hands lay in her lap as she spoke.  
  
"K-k-kai." She couldn't understand the new word. "Spell it."  
  
"K-A-I-R-"  
  
"What?" Signed the first girl, "I don't understand" This time the second girl noticed the signs.  
  
"Why are you moving your hands?"  
  
"We speak this way. Our people speak with our hands and our mouths"  
  
"Oh. My name is Kairi." Kairi said her name slowly so the other could catch the syllables.  
  
"Kai-rai?"  
  
"Kairi"  
  
"Kairi!"  
  
"See you got it!" Exclaimed Kairi, "What's your name?" "My name is Astar" the blue haired girl said, signing as she spoke, "Where are we?"  
  
"This is Destiny Islands"  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Our home. Where is your home Astar?"  
  
"I-I don't remember"  
  
The pair were quite for a second.  
  
"Hey you're awake!" It was Sora, fresh out of the sea and grinning broadly, "Man you scared us falling like that."  
  
"Who is this boy?" Asked Astar.  
  
"I'm Sora!"  
  
"He lives here too," Explained Kairi, she traced the letters of Sora's name on the other girls hand. "S-O-R-A" She said.  
  
"Sora" Said Astar, making other patterns with her fingers as she spoke.  
  
*  
  
Over the next few days Astar meet Tidus Selphie and Wakka, whose double 'k' cause much hassle when spelling things out for Astar. Much questioning revealed that she remembered nothing, other than waking up on Destiny Islands.  
  
Kairi and Astar were sitting inside on the latter's bed.  
  
"So I fell from the sky?"  
  
"Yes. If Riku hadn't caught you I'm not sure we would have got to you in time."  
  
"What's a Riku?" asked Astar, getting the pronunciation wrong.  
  
Kairi laughed. "Riku's a boy, he lives here on the Islands with us too."  
  
"I should thank him," said Astar, "He saved my life."  
  
"He'll be outside. Say, you're strong enough to take a walk? I'll take you round the island!"  
  
Kairi took Astar all round the island, showing here the racecourse, the boys fishing attempt, the coconut trees and the waterfall. Astar though everything was amazing, she'd never seen anything like it.  
  
"Where is Riku?"  
  
"He'll be sitting on the Paupau tree, he spends a lot of time there, it odd really." Paupau, that was another word that had caused trouble.  
  
Sure enough, Riku's half dressed form was lying along the long trunk of the paupau, looking out to sea.  
  
"Hey Riku!" called Kairi, "You've got a visitor!"  
  
He turned at his name, and his eyes locked on Astar. Pale mauve met bright blue concentric circles and held. Slowly, without breaking his gaze, Riku turned round and slipped off the tree, coming towards them.  
  
Kairi watched the positions of the two, Riku, his feet apart, broud shoulders up and back, arms ready at his sides, defensive. And Astar, looking almost level at him, hands by her sides, her brow furrowed in nervousness.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Astar broke their gaze, bowing to him. "Thank you for saving me" She straightened and her hand moved over the air between them, drawing a pattern in the air. Riku grabbed her wrist sharply.  
  
"What are you doing?!"  
  
Astar looked up, only slightly, at him, fear obvious in her eyes.  
  
"I was asking the spirits to protect to in my thanks."  
  
Riku sneered.  
  
"I don't need spirits." He let go of her and lifted himself up onto the paupau tree. "It was nice seeing you Kairi, you can go now."  
  
Astar watched the back of the motionless boy as Kairi pulled her away. 


	3. The first memory

Chapter 3: The first memory  
  
Astar was a little shaken up by her meeting with Riku. Unlike the islands other occupants he had been openly aggressive and it scared her slightly. But Kairi reassured her that Riku was always like that, and she let it go.  
  
It was a bright afternoon when the boys finally managed to get a good catch. Sora ran into the shady patch under the trees where the three girls were sitting carrying six large fish.  
  
"Hey Guys! Look!" He called as he ran towards them, "we can have a beach barbecue tonight!"  
  
"Alright!" Selphie jumped up, "Whoo-hoo! We gotta get some other stuff though."  
  
They all walked out onto the beach where the three others were waiting.  
  
"Okay", said Kairi, "If the boys do a bit more fishing, Selphie and I'll start the fire and Riku and Astar get coconuts, mushrooms and stuff. Riku knows where to look." she added to Astar as an afterthought.  
  
Riku and Astar set off towards the coconut trees. Riku pulled out his wooden sword.  
  
"What's that?" asked Astar.  
  
"This?" Riku looked at his sword, "It's sword"  
  
"Sword" Said Astar, very quietly. It stirred a memory somewhere inside her, she knew.something.but she couldn't think, her brow furrowed in concentration, eyes half closed.  
  
"What are you doing?" Riku's question interrupted her, "No time for mucking around."  
  
He struck the tree several times, resulting in two ripe coconuts.  
  
"Can I try?"  
  
"Sure" He handed her the sword, and after several unfruitful attempts, Astar managed a single ripe coconut.  
  
"That'll do for now, let's get the other stuff."  
  
The pair spent the afternoon collecting fruit and eggs, many trips back to dump it all by the beach where Kairi and Selphie were coaxing the flames into life.  
  
The silence between them was uneasy, and Astar kept catching him watching her. It didn't make her anymore comfortable in his presence.  
  
They were walking back up to the beach with the last armload of stuff when Riku dumped his load in her arms and shinned up the paupau tree, grabbing a bunch of the yellow fruits as he did so.  
  
"What are they?"  
  
"Paupau fruits, they grow all year round on the island."  
  
*  
  
They sat around after the barbecue for a long time, chatting idly and eating the remainder of the fruit.  
  
Astar was almost full. She took the last remaining paupau fruit and spilt it down the middle.  
  
"Anyone want the other half? Riku?"  
  
Riku stared at her. Kairi smiled.  
  
"Astar, there's a legend about paupau fruit," the other girl said, "If you share one with a person your hearts and destinies will be entwined forever."  
  
Astar looked at the fruit in her hand to Riku and back again.  
  
"Oh. Sorry." She put the second half on the plate and lay back against the rock, munching her bit.  
  
"Look!" Said Tidus, breaking the silence, "Fireflies!"  
  
"Come on Astar!" the six younger kids got up and moved away chasing the little lights, "Aren't you coming Riku?"  
  
"Be there in a minute." He watched them run off, then his eyes strayed down to the remaining half of Astar's paupau fruit.  
  
-Tempting- Riku gave himself a mental shake -What the hell are you thinking Riku? You're losing it- Slowly he went to join the others up by the water fall.  
  
Tidus and Sora were training again, Astar watching in total fascination. Her eyes were fixed on the two wooden blades as they struck back and forth. Riku could have sworn he saw a little blue glow around her outline.  
  
-You really have lost it-  
  
For Astar, the world went suddenly dark. In her kind she could see, feel the shaking beneath her feet, people running everywhere, buildings falling, screams, her own voice crying out a word she had almost forgotten.  
  
"Mother!"  
  
Her shout made the others stand still.  
  
"Astar are you okay?"  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
The girl was glowing blue.  
  
"Sword" she whispered. A soft breeze came out of nowhere blowing her hair and making her skirt ripple. Blue light flashed and flickered between her hands, forming the shape of a thin crystal sword.  
  
"Wow!"  
  
"Astar that's amazing!"  
  
The young girl turned, her eyes straying to Riku's face.  
  
"I remembered." 


	4. Old clothes, new clothes

Chapter 4: Old clothes, new clothes  
  
Astar sat on the dock. It was early morning and she had now been on the island for 9 days. In the four days since she had first called the sword to her, Astar had learnt to call other weapons, such as staves, staffs and a pair of rings in to existence. She was also learning how to use them, practicing late at night when everyone else had gone to bed.  
  
The young girl sighed and looked down at herself. 9 days of sun, sea and sand had taken their toll. Her once glossy hair was thin and dry, her skin tanning a nice brown, and her deep purple dress, faded, water-stained, grass-stained, and looking more than a little worse for wear.  
  
-I need a shower- she thought to herself, and jumped up to go find Kairi.  
  
*  
  
Kairi and Selphie had her in a hot bath faster than blinking and spent a long time washing Astar's hair for her. Once they were finally done, Astar was wrapped up in a big fluffy towel.  
  
"What are we gonna do about your dress?" asked Selphie plaintively.  
  
"You're so tall," sighed Kairi, "None of our stuff will fit you."  
  
"We could make her some!"  
  
"Yeah, but she can't stay like that 'til we do! You're even taller than Sora, Tidus and Wakka so you can't even borrow theirs."  
  
The three girls were silent for a second.  
  
"I know!" Exclaimed Selphie, "You can borrow some of Riku's!"  
  
"What! No! He'd never let me!" said Astar.  
  
Kairi on the other hand thought it was a good idea and went to go find Riku.  
  
*  
  
Riku was floating in the pool under the waterfall when Kairi's shadow fell over him.  
  
He stood up.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
Kairi gave him a winning smile.  
  
"Can Astar please borrow some of your old clothes as no one else's will fit and we haven't had time to make her any?" She said the lot without drawing breath.  
  
Riku looked surprised.  
  
"What? No, she can't have my stuff!"  
  
"But we can't leave her with anything! It'll take us all day to make stuff for her! Please Riku?"  
  
"No."  
  
Kairi stamped her foot.  
  
"Oh come on, have a heart! Just try being nice for once, you might like it!"  
  
Riku sighed, she'd plague him all day if he didn't give in. He lifted himself out of the water.  
  
"Fine, bring her over to my place so she can find something to fit."  
  
*  
  
Astar waited in Riku's bathroom while he began pulling out clothes for her to try, handed between people by Kairi.  
  
They found a pair of Riku's ¾ length blue shorts fir nicely but shirts were a different matter.  
  
"Riku!" Yelled Kairi from the bathroom, "Don't you have any old stuff? Astar hasn't quite got your shoulders!"  
  
Riku grumbled and moaned and pulled a draw out roughly, digging through the contents.  
  
"Try this." He said, pulling out a slightly too small green and blue t shirt.  
  
It fit, and so Astar came out of the bathroom.  
  
"Catch up with you in a minute." She said to Kairi. "Sure."  
  
"Thank you Riku," Astar bowed and began to draw the symbols over him, then looked up, stopping halfway through. "S-s-sorry," she stammered, "I forgot, you don't like."  
  
Oddly Riku smiled.  
  
"Please go ahead. What spirits are you calling anyway?  
  
Astar smiled, and made a symbol like an 's' with the tail going right up and over the top.  
  
"This is the symbol for the spirits of day." Then she made a symbol with one hand, like a ankh with curved arms.  
  
"That one is for the spirits of night." Finally she made a curved, very fast symbol.  
  
"Those are the spirits of shadows."  
  
Riku looked on. -That's amazing-  
  
"Astar?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Will you teach me the spirit symbols?"  
  
"It's not just the signs, there's power behind them, I could teach you some of the language if you wanted."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You want to learn?"  
  
Riku smiled, slow and perfectly.  
  
"Only if you'll teach me." 


End file.
